The decision has been taken to prevent the deadly bird flue from entering the island. The department has also reportedly advised poultry farmers in the country to prevent people who had travelled to bird flue infected countries from entering their farms as a precaution against the spread of the disease. Meanwhile, a consignment of poultry which arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport today, was turned back. Published: Wed Jan 28 10:41:03 EST 2004

The main reason for the meeting was to get a clear vision from the JVP before NUA makes a decision whether or not to support the United People’s Freedom Alliance.

Meanwhile even though a meeting between NUA and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) was expected to take place today evening, the meeting has been postponed for tomorrow, unconfirmed reports said.

The National Unity Alliance is expected to decide whether or not to support the alliance only after they meet with the SLFP, where they will obtain the freedom party’s view on the Muslim issues facing the country.

Sources told the Lanka Academic that if the outcome from the SLFP meeting was positive then the NUA would extend its support to the SLFP-JVP alliance.

Today’s meeting was successful and the NUA leadership is happy with the outcome, sources said. The NUA was represented by its leader Mrs. Ferial Ashraff, Secretary General M.L.M. Hisbullah while the JVP was represented by its leader Somawansa Amarasinghe and General Secretary Tilvin Silva. Published: Wed Jan 28 09:55:17 EST 2004